Barrel length for 5.56 SBR/Pistol

[COprecision]

I?ve been eyeing the popular PSA 10.5? 5.56 with the 3?+ flash can and 12? handguard. I really like the looks. With further research I?ve decided that building my own upper with a 11.5? barrel, shorter flash can, and 12? handguard will heck the boxes looks wise by having the flash can partly under the handguard and have the advantage of better ballistics from the 11.5 barrel with no or minimal addition to the OAL.


My question is 10.5? AR in 5.56 are notoriously loud and to some uncomfortable to shoot. Will an 11.5? barrel make a noticeable difference in this regard ?


Thanks

[Great-Kazoo]

11.5" bbl with a 5.5" f/hider, permanently affixed, for a carbine
https://www.del-ton.com/AR-15-Flash-Hider-p/bp1017.htm

. Or not, as a pistol build. Then run a 15" hand guard .


As a pistol or carbine build it will be quieter, than with a short f/hider.


The question is, define loud? With hearing protection, of course.

I shot next to a guy sighting in his 300 win mag few weeks ago, for hunting season.
As he was getting ready to chamber the 2nd round i handed him a suppressor and said. . Hey would you mind keeping it down. I'm trying to focus here ;)

[whitewalrus]

If you can notice the difference in sound between an inch of barrel, you are superhuman. Don?t use this as a factor in your selection.

The muzzle device can make a big difference. The flash can types really do tame the noise vs flash hiders and brakes that can make it worse.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Fromk]

I have the psa 10.5? that you?re probably talking about and I love it. Other people love it. It shoots very well in my opinion. It feels well balanced to me as a whole. I think the flash can on a gun that size works since it directs the gases forward. A muzzle brake on that thing would be torture on the ears and probably my hand. I?m a tall guy and anything much shorter than the 12? hand guard wouldn?t be as comfortable.

There are YouTube people that say 11.5? are the ?ideal? barrel length for 5.56. I don?t claim to have that sort of expertise or know what that means but I agree that if you can really find the difference in that inch I bow to you.

[CS1983]

I had a 10.5" pistol that I was happy to sell. It wasn't just loud, the concussion of the shot was certainly uncomfortable.

Personally, I'd go with a longer barrel and a folding mechanism to shorten the OAL during storage.